This 1838 print depicts Governor of New York, Democrat, William L. Marcy seated on a throne with his foot on the U.S. Constitution handing a warrant for the arrest of two Irish citizens to British Consul, Buchanan. The two Irish citizens are father and son, John Bamber Sr. and James Bamber, accused of killing an Irish constable. They escaped Ireland to seek asylum in the United States, but Marcy decided to return them to Great Britain for trial. To the right of Marcy is Recorder of the City of New York, Richard Riker, who is holding a “Writ of Habeas Corpus” and stating that “the Constitution and laws of the United States will protect the adopted citizen!!” Riker was sympathetic to the Whig Party and against the pro-immigration Tammany Hall faction of the Democratic Party that supported Marcy, so his protest represents the Whig’s changing stance towards Irish immigrants in the 1838 gubernatorial race. The Irish had long been ignored by the Whig party, but Whig candidate, William Seward along with political boss, Thurlow Weed mobilized new Irish immigrants who hadn’t been indoctrinated into the Tammany Hall political machine to secure votes for the Whigs. The Irish were previously only tapped by the Tammany Hall Democrats, so the Whigs entering the scene marked an important moment in New York political history. Marcy ultimately denied the Bamber’s trial and sent them back to Ireland, angering both the city’s large Irish population and Whig faction. Marcy lost the election to Seward, and this decision can be pointed to as one of the reasons why.
The lithographer of this print is Edward Williams Clay (1799-1857). Clay was a caricaturist, engraver, lithographer, and etcher, as well as a portrait painter. Before his career as an artist, Clay was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar, but quickly left to pursue art in New York City. After losing his eyesight he retired from art and held minor office in Delaware before his death in December of 1857.
The publisher of this print is Henry R. Robinson (1827-1877). Robinson was active in New York, and had a store to sell his prints. In 1842, he was arrested for selling obscene pictures and books leading to the September 28, 1842 court case, People vs H. R. Robinson found in the District Attorney Indictment Papers, Municipal Archives. He was politically affiliated with the anti-Jackson Whig party which was made obvious by the wig silhouette used in 1838 as an advertising logo for his shop.
